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MasterCard's QkR mobile payment system enters trial in Australia

MasterCard is all over the map when it comes to mobile payments. The credit company will partner with anyone, anywhere, anytime if it means getting new customers and making a buck on the deal. Its latest offering is called QkR, an Australian effort with support from the Hoyts chain of movie theaters and Commonwealth Bank. The initial trial run will be at La Premiere cinemas, where customers will be able to order and pay for food and beverages right from their seat with the QkR app. To initiate the transaction a you scan the QR code or tap the NFC tag attached to the arm rest, and a staff member delivers the trough of popcorn and kiddie pool of coke right to your seat. Now all we need is this sort of high-end treatment in American movie theaters. Check out the video after the break to see it in action.

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Australia to see yet another world first in Mobile Payments January 23, 2012

Sydney, 24 January 2012: Australia will be the first country to pilot QkR™ by MasterCard, a new queue-busting mobile payment application developed by MasterCard that lets movie goers at selected La Premiere Hoyts cinemas order food and drinks directly from their seats by using their smart phone.

The new QkR by MasterCard in-cinema smart ordering service will be piloted by the Commonwealth Bank at a number of Hoyts cinemas for several weeks from January.

Guests of Hoyts' luxurious La Premiere cinemas in Sydney who have an iPhone or Android handset will be able to buy food and drink from the comfort of their cinema seats through an application downloaded to their phone. Purchases are then delivered directly to their seat.

MasterCard Australia's Head of Market Development and Innovation Matt Barr said the first pilot of QkR in Australia underlined MasterCard and the Commonwealth Bank's leadership in innovation.

"We are delivering what can only be described as generational change in payments technology," said Mr. Barr.

The QkR pilot is the latest development between MasterCard and the Commonwealth Bank and follows the launch of Commbank Kaching which, in addition to facilitating peer-to-peer payments, uses MasterCard PayPass to allow customers to simply tap their phone to pay at check-out.

"We're focused on smart ways to simplify and improve the consumer experience," said Mr Barr "QkR has many possible uses, and this pilot is just one great example of leveraging different technologies in a new way to create an easy and convenient ordering experience."

Hoyts' Chief Executive Officer, Delfin Fernandez said, "Hoyts has long embraced new technology to give our guests the ultimate cinema experience. Digital and 3D advances have revolutionised the on-screen magic and now QkR will eliminate the hassle of having to leave the cinema auditorium to place another food or drink order.

"For our La Premiere guests, being able to purchase a meal, dessert or another round of drinks using QkR without missing a second of the movie is a real luxury!" added Mr Fernandez.

According to Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, Executive General Manager of Business Products and Development, Commonwealth Bank, the introduction of QkR is a further demonstration of how the Bank is continuing to push the boundaries of innovation in financial services.

"This is another step forward in the way we are helping to provide Australians and Australian businesses with the very best in convenient payment solutions," said Ms Bayer Rosmarin.

"Our focus on technology and innovation has firmly positioned us at the forefront of the industry. We will be continuing to explore new developments, including working closely with our partners and business clients, so we can continue to move the banking and payments market forward in Australia and support the evolving needs of our customers."

From January guests of Hoyts La Premiere cinemas at Westfield Chatswood and The Entertainment Quarter, both in Sydney, will be able to download the QkR by MasterCard application to their phone and make purchases either through scan, tap or type – scanning the QR code to make a purchase; tapping an NFC-capable device against the QR code on the seat or typing in the unique scan code. Each of these options will take the guest through to a menu where they can select items and proceed to purchase.

"Australians enthusiastically embrace new technologies – particularly those that make life easier. That's why this is a great market to pilot QkR with Hoyts," said Mr Barr.

"We launched MasterCard Labs in 2010 with the goal of developing, testing and bringing to market new payment options and we're proud that we can bring leading edge technology here."

How it works

For the Hoyts pilot, transactions are initiated when the consumer uses QkR by MasterCard to either scan the QR code on the seat table or entering a special QkR label. Consumers with NFC-enabled phones can also tap the label to initiate the experience.The food and beverage menu will launch and menu items can be purchased using the digital wallet the cardholder pre-registers with their debit or credit card details the first time they use QkR. Once the purchase is confirmed, the order and the seat location are sent to Hoyts staff and the order is then delivered to the moviegoer's seat without ever having to go near a checkout line.

Making a purchase using QkR comes with the same high level of security as payments via all other MasterCard platforms. No cardholder data is stored on the phone, and QkR can be configured to request the number at time of purchase.

About MasterCard Worldwide

MasterCard (NYSE: MA) is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world's fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard's products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, travelling, running a business and managing finances - easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Learn more at mastercard.com or follow us on Twitter @mastercardnews or join the conversation on The Heart of Commerce Blog.

About The Hoyts Corporation

Hoyts has delighted Australian cinema-goers for more than 100 years and is one of Australia's most recognisable entertainment brands. Hoyts Exhibition, the cinema division of The Hoyts Corporation, manages 425 screens across 40 cinema complexes in Australia and a further 10 complexes in New Zealand. Hoyts La Premiere offers an unsurpassed cinema experience, with the ultimate in comfort, service and style. Guests enjoy a super-screen experience from luxurious, custom-made sofa-style seats. La Premiere offers a gourmet menu and reserve wine list, with in-cinema waiter service throughout the movie.

About Commonwealth Bank

Commonwealth Bank is Australia's leading provider of integrated financial services including retail banking, premium banking, business banking, institutional banking, funds management, superannuation, insurance, investment and sharebroking products and services. The Group is one of the largest listed companies on the Australian Stock Exchange and is included in the Morgan Stanley Capital Global Index. Commonwealth Bank is Money Magazine's 2011 Bank of the Year and thanks to the recent migration of customers to a new core-banking platform, the Bank is the most technologically advanced in Australia.